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The Dictionary of Rock & Pop Names: The Rock & Pop Names Encyclopedia from Aaliyah to ZZ Top
The Dictionary of Rock & Pop Names: The Rock & Pop Names Encyclopedia from Aaliyah to ZZ Top
The Dictionary of Rock & Pop Names: The Rock & Pop Names Encyclopedia from Aaliyah to ZZ Top
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The Dictionary of Rock & Pop Names: The Rock & Pop Names Encyclopedia from Aaliyah to ZZ Top

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Mark Beechs 1998 predecessor, The A-Z of Names in Rock generated over 50 radio interviews, 15 articles, 7 features in nationals and two serializations. This extended and updated version covers more genres than just rock (e.g. pop, punk, indie, reggae, soul, country, blues, folk, jazz, heavy metal, grunge and rap artists and bands) and will appeal to music fans internationally, as well as being the must-buy book for pub quiz fans. With almost 3,000 entries, its a chance to discover why artists chose their names and which ones shouldnt have. An informative and often humorous read, the worlds leading expert on music names (BBC), Mark Beech, is guaranteed another best-seller.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 19, 2009
ISBN9781844689095
The Dictionary of Rock & Pop Names: The Rock & Pop Names Encyclopedia from Aaliyah to ZZ Top
Author

Mark Beech

Mark Beech has illustrated numerous books for children, from picture books through young novels. He lives in England. Visit him at markbeechillustration.format.com.

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    The Dictionary of Rock & Pop Names - Mark Beech

    First published in Great Britain in 2009 by

    REMEMBER WHEN

    An imprint of

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd

    47 Church Street

    Barnsley

    South Yorkshire

    S70 2AS

    Copyright © Mark Beech 2009

    ISBN 978 1 84415 807 2

    eISBN 9781844689095

    The right of Mark Beech to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

    A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing.

    Typeset by Phoenix Typesetting, Auldgirth, Dumfriesshire Printed and bound by Biddles, Kings Lynn

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd incorporates the Imprints of Pen & Sword Aviation, Pen & Sword Maritime, Pen & Sword Military, Wharncliffe Local History, Pen & Sword Select, Pen & Sword Military Classics, Leo Cooper, Remember When, Seaforth Publishing and Frontline Publishing.

    For a complete list of Pen & Sword titles please contact

    PEN & SWORD BOOKS LIMITED

    47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS, England

    E-mail: enquiries@pen-and-sword.co.uk

    Website: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

    Contents

    Author biography

    Epigraph

    INTRODUCTION

    Including:

    Who, What, Where, When, How?

    What’s In A Name?

    My Granny, Phil. And Sting

    Sources And Acknowledgements

    About This book

    MAIN A-Z SECTION

    Photo Permissions

    The Author

    Mark Beech is a journalist, writer, and broadcaster. His articles have appeared in many newspapers worldwide, including most of the British nationals. He has been described by the BBC as the world’s leading expert on music names. He has interviewed thousands of stars and is the author of The A-Z of Names in Rock (Robson Books, 1998) which U.K. disc jockey John Peel said was one of the most-needed reference works.

    He is pop and rock critic for Bloomberg News and the London editor of MUSE, the cultural section of Bloomberg. He listens to more than 1,000 CDs a year for his column, which is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers, many in the U.S., as well as appearing on Bloomberg’s Website and terminals. Mark also writes and edits articles about literature, art, theatre, dance, architecture, restaurants and other cultural issues.

    He was in Liverpool as the Fab Four made it big … but was far too young to remember any of it. He graduated through The Beatles Fan Club to Bob Dylan, to schools in Shrewsbury and Evesham and St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University, where he was a Kitchener Scholar and where his first book was published: Passionfruit, edited by the late distinguished poet Howard Sergeant – its title meant it ended up in the cookery section of one bookshop. Mark has an M.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. After graduation, he became a film script writer and one of the founders of The Daily News in Birmingham. He has also worked for The Sunday Times, ITN and the Press Association among others.

    He interviewed many top musicians, as well as their family, friends, managers, concert promoters, roadies, groupies, and anyone else he could think of along the way. This has resulted in articles on Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Sir Paul McCartney, and just about any other star whose name can be casually dropped in conversation at parties. (He has written a book about names, what do you expect?)

    Mark’s play Freaks Come Out At Night was one of the Westminster Prize award-winners in 2005 and was performed in the West End starring Burn Gorman and Robert Mountford. Soho Theatre produced Mark’s earlier play, Happy/Sad, in 2001.

    He divides his time between a house in London and a farm in Herefordshire, where he is usually to be found annoying his tenants by playing his favourite CDs loud for research purposes. He is an inveterate attendee of concerts varying from rock to classical and an expert on the music of Sir John Tavener. He describes his musical tastes: "Tavener above all. Then Beethoven to Blonde on Blonde; Sibelius to The Smiths; Messiaen to Joni Mitchell."

    His other interests include painting and photography; travel and collecting everything from books and CDs to antique typewriters and cars. Sometimes I sleep, but, like Warren Zevon, I won’t do much of that until I’m dead.

    Epigraph

    Where did you get the name of the group? This is the question which plagues every band on the planet.

    Whenever you see this question appear in an interview or an article, you know that the journalist has left his/her brain in a matchbox somewhere. It’s bad enough that mediocre journalists base whole articles on such secondary matters. Most journalists are worse than mediocre, so they have to actually ask the question first.

    Andrew Eldritch, The Sisters of Mercy.

    Introduction

    This book differs from every other work about rock names.

    First, it’s up to date.

    Second, it’s based on research over two decades – and counting – by a professional journalist – well, so I’ve been kidding people since the 1980s. I started the project shortly after making journalism my misbegotten career.

    Third, it’s based, where possible, on primary sources and cross-checked facts, not gossip or speculation. I’ve interviewed thousands of rock stars as diverse as Sting, the Smiths, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. I’ve also travelled thousands of miles, scanned countless yellowing newspaper clippings, and contacted many record companies and agents.

    Fourth, this is the successor to The A-Z of Names in Rock, a work that British disc jockey John Peel thought should become a standard music dictionary. The BBC kindly called me the world’s leading expert on rock names. Radio personality Jono Coleman said that it was one of the finest rock reference books, which should grow and be kept in print forever. (Thanks, folks.)

    WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW?

    This volume will be of use and entertainment to those interested in names, words and especially popular music. It’s an A-Z guide of the stars and groups of today, yesterday, and – in some cases – tomorrow. As its title implies, it provides the answers to one of the great questions in music, from the biggest-selling and best-known down: Why are they called that?

    Why were The Beatles called The Beatles?

    Why The Rolling Stones?

    How did (insert the name of your choice here) arrive at their name? I can’t include everyone within this volume but you’ll find an array from The Bee Gees to Elton John, Hear’Say to Nirvana, Badly Drawn Boy to Oasis, Destiny’s Child to Linkin Park.

    Why should a band whom everyone knew decide to stick to the name The Who?* What was wrong with their previous choice, The High Numbers?

    Why did she become Madonna?** What about Eminem? Moby? Pink?

    Who or what really inspired Bob Zimmerman to become Bob Dylan?*** Reginald Dwight to (Sir) Elton Hercules John? Dave Jones to David Bowie? Harry Webb to (Sir) Cliff Richard? Brian Warner to become Marilyn Manson?

    What of the teen idols: Backstreet Boys, Take That, Wham!, Duran Duran, Boyzone? The Spice Girls or the Sugababes?

    How did Paul Hewson become Bono? And his group become U2?

    Who, or what, are Arctic Monkeys? Eurythmics? A Sex Pistol? A Led Zeppelin? What is a Stone Rose? An Aztec Camera? A Prefab Sprout? A Strawberry Alarm Clock? A Manic Street Preacher? Or a Quiet Riot?

    Why should anyone wish to embarrass their fans who had to ask for records in shops by The The? Or embarrass themselves by naming Gay Dad? Or Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Puff Daddy/Diddy, Snoop Dogg or Ghostface Killah?

    For those readers feeling smug and sure of the answers, look at the questions above once more – full answers come later in the book – and consider:

    Or try these:

    What band could have sprung to fame called Johnny and The Self-Abusers? Mark Skid and the Y-Fronts? The Golliwogs? The Crackers? Tom And Jerry? The Screaming Abdabs? Hitler’s Underpantz? Cans Of Piss?

    These were names considered or used by early versions of Simple Minds; the Boomtown Rats; Creedence Clearwater Revival; The Band; Simon and Garfunkel; Pink Floyd; O.M.D. and R.E.M.

    While the answers aren’t as profound as Einstein or as earth-shattering as a solution to global poverty, they have their uses, at least for pub quizzes and providing an education on dinosaurs (T. Rex), Gaelic swear words (the Pogues) torture machines (Iron Maiden), birdwatching (The Nightingales), science fiction (The Human League) and bizarre sexual practices with rodents (allegedly, The Pet Shop Boys).

    This is far more than a compendium of information for trainspotters, geeks, nerds, anoraks or fact freaks. It’s for the millions who follow these musicians yet may not know how the names came into being.

    WHAT’S IN A NAME?

    What’s in a name? Sometimes, pretty much everything. The replies given are controversial, hilarious – and often revealing.

    Groups as varied as The Doors, NWA, The Clash, Blind Faith, The Beginning Of The End, UB40, The Levellers, Devo, Tears For Fears and The Beautiful South are named after their intention, manifesto, interests or philosophy. To have this fully explained can be insightful.

    This book will annoy those people who like mystery, and don’t want every mythology explained, categorised and defined because it can kill magic. Yet in many cases, listeners can’t solve the riddle by buying all the band’s records and going to every concert. As you discover the answers from the comfort of your armchair, you might wonder what was the motivation, or obsessive idiotry, that led the author to do this musical detective work – donkeywork, if you prefer.

    MY GRANNY, PHIL, AND STING.

    I blame three people for this book. My granny, a fellow journalist called Phil Hainey … and Sting.

    My grandmother Mary Beech was a keen philologist, and spent her life collecting names and their origins. She fired my interest.

    Phil was a colleague when I started out 25 centuries ago (it seems like). We were both local reporters at Heart of England Newspapers. He noted my fascination with band names and suggested I write it down.

    Sting entered the story when I progressed to national newspapers and was writing about the former Police star. A friend of mine suspected that, in keeping with his serious image, Gordon Sumner’s stage name signified something profound or pretentious. At least, she suggested, it must be a reference to sting as in a bank robbery? Or an insect name, like The Beatles or The Crickets?

    I had heard it was something to do with a jumper. Sting confirmed that my version was true: it was merely a silly nickname because of a black and yellow horizontally-striped Breton-type top which was all he could afford in his career’s earliest days. He looked like a bee or a wasp.

    Here I saw two steps to an easy book. Step one: Outline the various theories, often entertaining in themselves. Step two: Explain which is correct. (This was potentially the only tricky bit, but I had access to answers few other people have.) Perfect. Instant best-seller! It all looked so simple. The project has been with me ever since.

    SOURCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

    INTERVIEWS

    The main source of primary material was my own interviews with a who’s who of stars.

    After Sting, I included the question: How did you/your band get the name? I felt I was doing a service to my readers. I had certain pay-off questions usually left to the end of the interview and this was one of them. It came after: Unless you’ve anything to add … and ranked alongside some form of: How much are you worth? and: Do you mind if I ask how old you are? (where I didn’t know the answer or it was unclear). I knew it could produce irritation and was best kept until the main interview was in the can.

    Most of the stars were very polite, especially if I was writing a long profile for a serious paper. Some gave generously of their time. While this book comes with thanks to everyone who spoke to me, it comes with the biggest appreciation to those with no ulterior motive (I mean no new CD to sell, or tour to hype) who just turned out to be likeable and helpful.

    The information so gathered from the stars usually has precedence, although it’s important to say that not all gave the true stories. Next on the pecking order, I referred to stars’ friends, managers or families.

    RECORD COMPANIES

    I found much in material which originated from the acts themselves or sanctioned by them: lyrics, record sleeves, press releases, official websites, posters, autobiographies or authorised/official biographies. Thanks to those press officers who provided vintage biographies and statements.

    ARTICLES

    The secondary source list includes interviews with other journalists which had undisputable quotes – TV/radio tapes or downloads with transcripts. Next came interviews from reliable news sources.

    There are yawning gaps in information available. Many other reporters have patently failed to address the sort of questions I posed at the outset, despite many fans’ clear interest. They don’t bother to ask about names – even in initial articles about new acts, despite it being an obvious starting point.

    Some bands become reluctant to reply. The answer might be silly, let slip their influences or spoil the mystique. Others fabricate stories out of boredom at the question – for, yes, it does get asked sometimes. Peter Hook of New Order says he’s been asked hundreds of times and calls it a dumb question.

    However, some publications were more useful than others. Those I use most are Q, NME, Rolling Stone and Mojo, and newspapers such as the New York Times and The Guardian.

    INTERNET

    When I started research, the Internet was in its infancy. Finding names required much reading and checking. Far from killing the need for this book, the Web has made it more relevant. With the deluge of disinformation online, you can often spend hours trying to find the true story.

    In the absence of information on official sites, the vacuum is filled by fan chat-rooms, blogs, bulletin boards and sites such as AmIright.com (the name says it all) which allow any school kid to post whatever piece of speculation they want. In some cases this third-hand, half-heard urban myth gets recycled as gospel. Watch for the tell tale phrases I think I read that … a friend of a friend told me …

    Some acts have forum pages, sometimes with ask the group sections, where the question comes up with alarming regularity as fans fail to spot previous instances of the query – forum search functions are often poor. Usually the band gives an answer in the first few days the forum is running, then insults the poor fans for innocently asking the question again.

    PREVIOUS BOOKS

    Adrian Room’s scholarly Brewer’s Dictionary Of Names and Dictionary of Pseudonyms are outstanding. I have to thank him for all his detailed comments on my 1988 book.

    There are other name books by Glenn A. Baker, Adam Dolgins and David Wilson though none were of use alongside Colin Larkin’s 10-volume Encyclopedia Of Popular Music from 2006.

    There are at least four other U.S. rock name volumes, written by amateur writers and some vanity published. All seem to have had the same idea I did around 1984, except a few years later. I’ve pretty much ignored these works because they are so bad. The creators seem unaware that there are other works, usually much better than they ever could produce. This ignorance is both frightening and funny: they have neither the access nor the depth of research that the job needs.

    PERSONAL SOURCES AND THANKS

    My colleagues from previous jobs at ITN, the Press Association and Europe Online were quizzed on their own knowledge and bored by mine as I assembled information. I have my employer Bloomberg News to thank for allowing this book to go ahead. I repeat my thanks voiced in the 1998 book to my Bloomberg colleague, then as now, Richard Vines. In addition to all on the MUSE team worldwide as well as to Maria José Vera and Victoria Cochrane in Bloomberg TV.

    Also while I’m in without whom … mode, I must express thanks to Kazuyo Enomoto, as in my last book, for a decade living with a Mark Beech who is addicted to work, Red Bull and CDs.

    Pen & Sword’s editor Fiona Shoop and production team did an exceptional job in seeing this to print. I must also thank freelance picture researcher Kate Duffy, who took my often difficult requests and within three months found and negotiated rights for the illustrations.

    Thanks to my literary agent Andrew Lownie, who has done an outstanding job since taking over my account. Also to Michael Pead and Jay Dong for Web site advice on www.markbeech.net and elsewhere; and to staff at the British Library and the National Sound Archive.

    ABOUT THIS BOOK

    This encyclopaedia deals with mainstream rock and pop for the most part; many artists from other genres, punk, soul, reggae, rap, jazz, folk, country, blues, indie, heavy metal, grunge, rock ‘n’ roll, new age and R&B are included where they are well known or where there is a good story.

    While the lengths are not meant to reflect the importance of each artist, major stars generally get a fuller treatment.

    EXTRAS

    There are many things that this volume includes which most other music encyclopaedias do not:

    INTERNATIONAL VIEW, SPELLING, GRAMMAR

    This book is designed to be worldwide in appeal. Some of the explanations will be obvious to some readers, not to others. British, American, Canadian and Australian references are explained. When I started in 1984 I elected to keep language in informal British English and treat groups as plurals (The Beatles were, Radiohead are..)

    CROSS REFERENCES

    means compare to this similar name and doesn’t necessarily mean a related act.

    ALPHABETICAL ORDER

    Generally individuals are under surnames, groups under first names. Numbers are listed as if they are spelled in English. The order disregards English definite and indefinite articles before names. Where locations are unclear, a page number is added to cross references to speed navigation.

    OFFENSIVE WORDS

    Some band soubriquets offend certain people. The controversy may be political (Dead Kennedys), racial (Big Black), sexual (Lovin’ Spoonful) or all of these (4 Skins). There’s no point in being mealy-mouthed, or excluding offensive words, if this obscures the account.

    SOURCING/ CITATIONS/ RIVAL ACCOUNTS

    Some of the entries are drawn from perhaps 15 sources. For this concise edition, the attributions are usually used only where there is a dispute over the information presented.

    ACCURACY

    Wherever possible, multiple crosschecks of spellings and stories have been used. Readers are invited to write in with any corrections, suggestions and documentary proof where possible to mark@markbeech.net, or care of Andrew Lownie, 36 Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BU. All the further information used will be acknowledged in future editions.

    LESS IS MORE

    This book is the executive summary of my database which runs to four times its published size. It includes every major entry and trims the background that for example inflates the full Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan entries to 4,000 words. This is a handier potted version which aims to concisely give all the headlines and more. It’s not weighed down, more quick-reference and just as definitive. Less is more. (As I was told when given my first script to write at ITN.)

    My database also has much on the history of music names, lists, trivia, quizzes and essays on further adventures I had in finding the names. That’s for the next book maybe.

    Mark Beech

    First edition: Oxfordshire ca 1984-Abbey Road, St John’s Wood 1998

    This book: Evesham 1998-Westminster 2008

    A

    Aaliyah

    This Detroit R&B star, who sold 12 million records in a career that ended with a 2001 plane crash, was born Aaliyah Dana Haughton.

    ABBA

    Swedish singer/songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus started with The Hootenanny Singers. They teamed with Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog in 1970 in cabaret act Festfolk (party people). A 1972 single, People Need Love, was credited to Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid. This was reduced to their first initials. ABBA was also a Swedish canned fish company, which agreed to lend its name.

    Agnetha was known as Anna, and Anni-Frid as Anni (many ABBA releases drop the Swedish characters). ABBA was an acronym, palindrome and – with the first ‘B’ backwards – a registered trade mark.

    Gabba.

    ABC

    Because the first letters of the alphabet are known the world over, explained Martin Fry. He thought the choice would put the British band’s records at the top of the alphabetical section. It’s vague enough not to be ‘limiting’. ABC said the designation stood for Always Be Cool, to counter suggestions it was Awfully Boring Crap.

    Abraxas Pool

    Santana who played on the Abraxas and Santana III albums.

    AC/DC

    Grapefruit.

    Lou Reed act). Their younger brother Angus formed his own group, Tantrum, and AC/DC in 1973.

    There have been dozens of Web sites (a) repeating possible name sources, nearly all with sourcing of the sort I think I heard this or a friend told me that or (b) speculating on possible satanic connections when the group has repeatedly denied them. Of course most of these Internet items are written by fans who can’t directly go to the band, like a journalist can, to get answers (so I did). But most can presumably read – even if they can’t spell or write grammatically – so they’ve only to read books such as this to get the answer. It seems their research never extends beyond the Internet, or even as far as checking out some of AC/DC’s old TV interviews which give answers.

    The name source: "AC/DC" came from a household appliance. The question is, which: a vacuum cleaner or a sewing machine? There’s a dispute over who owned the machine – the Youngs’ mother Margaret or sister, also called Margaret? Then there are contradictory reports over who noticed it (Angus and his sister Margaret are the people most often cited) and who came up with the name (Margaret, Angus, Malcolm, another relative?)

    AC/DC confirmed to the author comments made for a VH-1 interview. Malcolm says the name came from sister Margaret’s sewing machine.

    The meaning: There’s agreement that the moniker was chosen because of its believed electrical connotations. AC/DC means Alternating Current/Direct Current to indicate that an electrical device can use either type of power. The brothers felt it summed up the raw energy and power-driven performances they aimed for.

    Bon Scott’s macho image and emphasised the electrical theme through albums such as Powerage.

    The early AC/DC songs didn’t contain any especially evil meanings, and even the later ones – hard rock bands such as AC/DC were accused of interest in the occult and devil worship – can usually be explained easily. (Highway To Hell, for instance, from a disastrous tour.) The critics suggest AC/DC means Anti-Christ/Devil’s Child(ren), Anti-Christ/Devil Christ or After Christ/Devil Comes. These look badly-fabricated attempts by religious groups to unfairly besmirch the group.

    Tribute bands include BC/DC, from British Columbia, and AC/DShe, an all-female San Francisco version.

    The name’s said one letter at a time A-C-D-C, Ay-cee-dee-cee for English speakers. In Australia Acca-dacca is an often-used alternative.

    Ace Of Base

    Swedish dance-pop outfit, founded in 1987 by Johnny Linden. The band members were masters – or aces of their studio, sited in the basement of a car-repair shop – the base or basement.

    A Certain Ratio/ ACR

    Brian Eno’s The True Wheel, on the CD Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy). The phrase comes from the thoughts of Hitler on the proportion of Jewish blood to determine if a person was Jewish. ACR denied being aware of this meaning.

    Adam And The Ants

    Adam was born in 1954 in London as Stuart Goddard but soon called himself Adam, after Adam and Eve. He got an ADAM tattoo on his left arm: "Adam’s a very strong name; it’s the first name – you know – the Garden of Eden."

    Adam, and his tattoo, left Hornsey Art College in 1977. He added the Ant surname – a play on adamant, someone determined and hard, and coincidentally recalling Adam Adamant, hero of a 1960s BBC sci-fi series played by Gerald Harper.

    Bow Wow Wow. Fans called: Ant People.

    Cannonball Adderley

    U.S. alto saxophonist Julian Adderley’s nickname was cannibal – referring to the amount he ate! The corruption followed a phone mishearing.

    King Sunny Ade

    The African singer reworked his real name Sunday Adeniyi. Pronunciation: Ard-ay.

    Adeva

    American singer Patricia Daniels (1960 +) punned on a diva.

    Adolf And The Casuals

    R.E.M. side-project linking dictator Adolf Hitler and 1950s bands such as Kenny And The Kasuals. Adolf isn’t a casual name.

    The Adult Net

    The Smiths, named from a line in a Fall song.

    Aerosmith

    Nilsson’s album Aerial Ballet, which had Everybody’s Talkin’ on it. We were thinking of cool names and the whole ‘Aero-something’ got hatched."

    Note Kramer’s wording of Bourdon’s account, keeps telling me. Elsewhere it was previously suggested he was piecing together words Scrabble-style and chose aerospace and songsmith. The result was meaningless but sounded good. Either way, it was offered to his schoolboy band, Strawberry Ripple, and rejected.

    Kramer wasn’t that interested in lessons, and would sit doodling the word on his textbooks and ring binder. In 1998, contacted by the author, Kramer also confirmed there was no relation to Henry Sinclair Lewis’ 1925 novel Arrowsmith, a book everyone hated in high school. The name produced the same reaction, he said, when he first pitched it to his later group, The Jam Band, until they got the spelling.

    Bassist Tom Hamilton recalled: We had to find a name that somehow matched the power of the band and gave you the same sense of ‘lift’ that we got when we played together.

    The Toxic Twins.

    a-ha

    This Norwegian pop phenomenon’s name was chosen by leader Mags Furuholmen. An early song, Nothing To ItU2).

    Aiden

    The Seattle band formed in 2003, named after Aiden, a boy who can see ghosts, in the 2002 film, The Ring. Aiden’s 2005 debut Our Gang’s Dark Oath contains songs about the movie’s gothed-out world.

    Airhead

    Jefferson Airhead.

    Air Supply

    A name chosen because this Australian-based soft rock group’s music was a counterattack – a breath of fresh air – to the growing popularity of heavy metal.

    The Alarm

    Works on several levels: alarm for future, human emotion, alarm clock. They came from Wales, and started as punk band The Toilets. Alarm Alarm Duran Duran).

    The Albion Band

    Steeleye Span, inspired by traditional folk. A spinoff, The Home Service, was another nostalgia trip, recalling the old name for BBC’s domestic Radio 4.

    Dennis Alcapone

    Another Jamaican star to name after a U.S. outlaw, in this case Al Capone. He was born Dennis Smith in the year of the gangster’s death.

    Alexisonfire

    You say that as Alexis On Fire. The Canadian band thought it would be cool to write the name as one word. On the Alexisonfire site, they say What kind of idiot would name a band ‘Alex Is On Fire’? Presumably the sort of idiot who crunches the words together without realising that it will be misunderstood. It was taken from Californian adult film actress Alexis Fire.

    Alf

    Yazoo.

    Alice In Chains

    (p.79) Alice Cooper-style group. This U.S. ensemble used the Alice In Chains identity full-time when they couldn’t agree on anything better for their day-job performances. Staley said it suited the drag and speed metal.

    Alien Sex Fiend

    U.K. singer Nick Wade created a science-fiction character as his alter ego, called Demon Preacher – the name of his first band. The character later became the sex fiend, with Wade wearing weird make-up to complete the role.

    Alisha’s Attic

    This British pop duo named from a fictional character, Alisha – a woman like us, who embraces her demons. It’s also a reference to the Dagenham loft in which they wrote their first album.

    The All-American Rejects

    The band formed in 2001. They couldn’t decide between the All Americans and the Rejects, so opted for both.

    The Allman Brothers Band

    Duane and Gregg Allman, from Georgia, went through names The House Rockers, Allman Joys (a pun on the U.S. chocolate candy) and Hour Glass. The Brothers appellation stayed some time after the death of Duane in a 1971 motorcycle accident.

    All Saints

    British all-girl quartet whose name comes from the All Saints Road near their homes in London’s Ladbroke Grove.

    Marc Almond

    Soft Cell.

    ALO

    Or Animal Liberation Orchestra in full. ALO said they "liberate animals each night they step on stage. That

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